Warning: session_start() [function.session-start]: open(/home/content/78/4549178/tmp/sess_45rpbhqgv9tf839eepl4mkv9n2, O_RDWR) failed: No such file or directory (2) in /home/content/78/4549178/html/wp-content/plugins/session-manager/includes/sm_functions.include.php on line 510

Warning: session_start() [function.session-start]: Cannot send session cookie - headers already sent by (output started at /home/content/78/4549178/html/wp-content/plugins/session-manager/includes/sm_functions.include.php:510) in /home/content/78/4549178/html/wp-content/plugins/session-manager/includes/sm_functions.include.php on line 510

Posts Tagged ‘pigeon droppings’

Bridge pigeons’ days are numbered

Pigeon poo is threatening the Alexandra bridge across the Clutha River, so the birds have to go.

New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) senior asset manager John Jarvis said the bridge’s structural steel was being corroded and, while it was not an immediate safety risk, action was needed to reduce the 400-strong flock of resident pigeons so damaged areas could be repaired.

The corrosion mostly affected the surface, but there were also some cases of pitting. (more…)

Teachers at San Fernando Girls’ Anglican Primary School walked off the job yesterday because of a pigeon infestation. The teachers walked out of their classrooms in protest after nine staffers reportedly fell ill because of unsanitary conditions at the school, on Pouchet Street, San Fernando. Parents received messages from the school’s administrative staff to pick up their children at noon yesterday.

The combination made a stinky smell—similar to that of sulfur-rich hot springs. The smell was greatest following the storms. Then debris covered up most of the bird poop-salt water cocktail, plant materials and bacteria that had soaked into the sand. But recent beach cleanups aimed at removing debris unleashed the stench again.

“We do not consider the odor dangerous,” Pryor said in an e-mail.

Over time, the surf and tides will sort and wash away the stinky matter, he said.

From Bird-B-Gone Inc.

Just last year, the Lompoc Record reported that it was an accumulation of pigeon droppings that had contaminated the water quality under the Pismo Beach Pier. Sure the stench may not be harmful, what about the bacteria found in bird droppings? It would take a lot of droppings to create such a stench – if it truly is the source of the “fowl” smell, the city may want to consider the health risk associated with the droppings. In small doses it usually doesn’t cause that big of a concern, but when found in such large quantities, health risks should be considered as bird droppings are known to carry bacteria and disease.

There are many products available to humanely deter birds from open spaces. Not sure which product is right for you? Contact our team of bird control engineers to help you choose and design the right bird deterrent system for you. Bird-B-Gone also has a network of authorized installers who can install bird control products call 1-800-392-6915 or visit http://www.birdbgone.com

A statue is seen in front of a long section of a rustic retaining wall in the garden of the House of the Moralist, which collapsed after heavy rains in Pompeii November 30, 2010. REUTERS/Ciro De Luca

“Pompeii collapses spark worry and outrage”

By Philip Pullella

Posted 2010/12/13 at 12:25 pm EST

POMPEII, Italy, Dec. 13, 2010 (Reuters) — Pompeii mayor Claudio D’Alessio does not want to go down in history linked with Pliny the Younger, the Roman who chronicled the destruction of the ancient city nearly 2,000 ago in an eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

The collapses sparked charges of official neglect by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s center-right government and calls for the resignation of Culture Minister Sandro Bondi, who has imposed cuts to arts spending as part of austerity measures.

….

“We must invest in regular maintenance. This does not attract attention but is very necessary,” said Cevoli, adding that removing weeds from roofs and walls is not as enticing as light shows and holograms but it does stop water infiltration.

Cevoli says there have been seven collapses in a year but not all of them have received the publicity they deserved.

…

Judith Harris, author of the 2007 book “Pompeii Awakened,” said it would be important that sponsors let archaeologists do what they feel is necessary.

“There is no glamour in pigeon control and weed removal but they are necessary,” she said.

Pigeon droppings have been the source of deterioration and defilement on historic sites across the world. Recent renovations on Italy’s famed Leaning Tower of Pisa included the removal of pigeon droppings which had soiled many of the towers stones. Herculaneum, a lesser known city also buried in Mt. Vesuvius’s eruption in 79 AD was also recently having problems with pigeon droppings wearing away roofs and walls of the ruins. Damage done by bird droppings on a 14th century cathedral ending up costing the city of Milan and extra $7.9m or more in repairs.

Bird droppings are acidic and will eat through paint, and corrode building materials such as stone and metal. Left unattended, affected areas may need restoration or complete replacement. Whether it’s an irreplaceable historic monument, or a contemporary roof or building, it is important to address pigeons or bird problems when they are noticed. The sooner a bird problem is addressed, the easrier it will be to persuade the birds to move on.

New iPhone game “Pigeon Squadron” allows players to take on the role of a pigeon…by pooping on people/objects:

I-play’s Pigeon poop-‘em-up Pigeon Squadron is now available for the iPhone

Ben Griffin

Published on Sep 9, 2010

I-play has released Pigeon Squadron, its latest iPhone game.

You take on the role of a pigeon, unloading last night’s dinner onto unsuspecting people, animals and cars below. Nothing is safe from a good dousing of the white luck, as we shall call it.

Joining an elite team of paramilitary pigeons means progress is made via challenges and missions. Be it a group of pesky ducks that need to be brought down a peg or two, or a nasty man, one of the four playable pigeons will have to work their magic to move onto the next level.

From Bird-B-Gone:

In real life, pigeon poop can be a real nuisance. Not only is it unsightly, it can carry diseases and corrode building materials such as concrete, wood and steel. Pigeon droppings can corrode paint on cars and boats, and can be quite difficult to remove if left alone.

Could an overabundance of pigeon poop have caused an awning to crash down and kill an Australian man?

That’s what authorities are trying to figure out through a five-day inquest into what caused Craig Taylor to be crushed to death.

Mr. Taylor, 53, had been taking shelter from a storm under a pharmacy’s awning when it collapsed in December, 2007, the Daily Telegraph reports. Dozens of pigeons were apparently nesting in the structure. Live birds were even found in the wreckage.

Authorities think the weight of the pigeons’ droppings, combined with the heavy rain, could have caused the awning to fall.

The droppings had built up and had become saturated by the rain leaking into the roof.

The report found that crucial structural points on the awning were poorly maintained and badly corroded, although this would have been difficult to examine before the collapse.

The coroner’s office is investigating what role store owners and the city have in keeping awnings clear of pigeons, and who exactly should be responsible for the structures’ maintenance.

This wasn’t the first awning collapse in Australia. Six-months earlier another fell in Fairlight, Australia, but no one was injured. There’s no word on whether pigeon poop played a role in that incident.

From Bird-B-Gone:

The sooner you address a bird problem, the easier it will be to take care of .

Did you know that besides carrying over 60 transmittable diseases, bird droppings can corrode paint, metal, stone and masonry? If you notice birds congregating under a sign, awning or eave area, call Bird-B-Gone, Inc. Bird-B-Gone has a complete line of effective and humane products to help solve any bird problem. Can’t/ don’t want to take care of the problem yourself? Bird-B-Gone has a network of authorized installers who can come out and and remedy your pest bird problem. Call us at 1-800-392-6915 or email us at nobirds@birdbgone.com / visit us online at http://www.birdbgone.com

Three songs into their St. Louis concert Friday night, the Kings of Leon had to shut down the show on account of some unexpected accompaniment that CNN pins on “pooping pigeons.”

“Jared [Followill, the band's bassist] was hit several times during the first two songs,” said Andy Mendelsohn of Vector Management. “It’s not only disgusting – it’s a toxic health hazard. They really tried to hang in there.”

The dirty birds were reported to have been lurking in the rafters of the Missouri city’s Verizon Amphitheater and launching their aerial attack during the band’s opening number, “Closer.” Followill, 23, got it in the face.

Amphitheater’s can be very inviting for pigeons and other birds as lighting and sound equipment in rafter areas provide plenty of high perches to sit or roost on… and when the birds get hungry, they have concert goers to thank. Beyond being a hazard for entertainers or anyone else below rafter areas, bird droppings can corrode building materials and ruin equipment. Cleanup of bird droppings in high profile areas can run maintenance costs into the thousands.

Something as simple as bird spikes could have helped to prevent this unfortunate scenario, leaving a disgusted band, and thousands of disappointed concert goers. It’s always best to tackle a bird problem as soon as it is noticed, that way the birds won’t become territorial and will be easier to move on. There are bird control professionals across the nation who can help with pest bird problems in commercial, residential or industrial areas. If you have a bird problem, and need help or advice, call Bird-B-Gone, Inc. Bird-B-Gone has a network of authorized installers – bird control professionals in your area that can help do everything from clean-up to installation of products to keep birds away. Bird-B-Gone has a complete line of effective and humane bird control products to choose from. Visit http://www.birdbgone.com or call us at 1-800-392-6915, our Bird Control Engineers are here to help. We even work with an Ornithologist to help tackle the toughest “bird jobs”.

Brownsboro Road beneath Interstate 265 was down to one lane in both directions from 6:30 until 10 p.m. Tuesday.”We just have some areas where the pigeons roost a lot and the bird droppings, they start to mound up. They build up quite a bit,” said Andrea Clifford, a spokeswoman for the Kentucky Department of Highways. And the pigeon droppings were not scattered — the median under the overpass was covered in a thick layer of the stuff.”It’s more of a sanitation issue. We get complaints about it and go out and do it,” Clifford said.

Pigeon droppings can end up costing communities thousands of dollars per year – just for clean-up. Bird deterrents like the Bird-B-Gone Bird Spikes or Bird Net 2000 could be installed to block birds from getting back to these areas, saving this county time and money. Bird-B-Gone sells a complete line of effective and humane bird control products to help solve virtually any pest bird problem. To learn more, visit us online at http://www.birdbgone.com

Pigeon droppings are not only unsightly, left unattended they can corrode building materials such as steel and stone, can stain surfaces, and discolor paint. Installing bird deterrents is a simple way to keep surfaces free of bird feces. A few bird spikes on the top of this sign would surely take care of the problem! They are easy to install and require no maintenance, and easy humane way for New Rochelle to preserve a part of local history.

Visit Bird-B-Gone, Inc for a complete line of effective and humane bird control products!

Spanish researchers find two bugs on feral pigeons which cause illness in humans

22nd June 2010 – Sampling of pigeons captured on the streets of Madrid has revealed the bacteria they carry. Researchers writing in BioMed Central’s open access journal Acta Vetinaria Scandinavica found two bugs that were highly prevalent in the bird population and which cause illness in humans: Chlamydia psittaci and Campylobacter jejuni.

The study

Fernando Esperón from the Animal Health Research Center, in Madrid, worked with a team of researchers to analyse blood and enema samples taken from 118 pigeons caught using gun-propelled nets.

The study found extremely high prevalence of bacteria which can be transferred from feral pigeons to humans. Esperón said in news release there was no way to tell if the birds were infected: “This leads to the hypothesis that pigeons act as asymptomatic reservoirs of Chlamydia psittaci and Campylobacter jejuni. These birds may therefore pose a public health risk to the human population.”

When pigeons try to roost or nest on or around your home or business, Bird-B-Gone, Inc has you covered with a complete line of effective and humane bird control products. The sooner you address a bird problem, the better results you will get. The longer pigeons or other birds are allowed to inhabit an area, the harder it will be to get them to leave.

Have a pigeon or bird problem? Visit Bird-B-Gone, Inc. today, or call us at 1-800-392-6915.